The Child Development Institute, part of the Children, Childhood and Education Collaborative, was established in 1987 to develop programs for early childhood and elementary school teachers, administrators, child development professionals, parents and the community at large.
Through its work, the Child Development Institute provides a progressive perspective on child development and education. In this perspective, the child is viewed as an individual in the social context, actively engaged in constructing knowledge through interactions with other people and the physical environment. We believe that the child's educational experience should encompass social, emotional, and imaginative aspects of life in concert with intellectual development. Further, we are concerned that schools and other institutions be developed as communities that attend to the interests and needs of children from diverse backgrounds.
The activities of the Child Development Institute, while developed primarily as outreach programs, are part of Sarah Lawrence’s Children, Childhood and Education Collaborative and as such, enhance the educational experience of undergraduate and graduate students on campus. A Professional Advisory Board provides consultation and support for various projects
